COMMUNITY

PET
PREPAREDNESS

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Promoting Pet Preparedness in Your Community Page
• Introduction 3
• Organization Overview 4
I. BE INFORMED
• Review Local Emergency Plans 5-6
• Identify Key Organizations and Leaders 6
• Research Previous Community Efforts 6-7
• Federal, State and Local Resources 8-13
II. PROMOTING PET PREPAREDNESS IN YOUR COMMUNITY
• Engaging your Community 14-15
• Engaging the Media 16
III. TOOLS
• Frequently Asked Questions to provide in e-mails, newsletters, 17-19
articles
• PowerPoint 19
• Ready Brochures 19
• Ready Materials Order Form 21
• Instructional Videos Available for Download 22
• Photography 22
• “Rex” the Ready Mascot Order Form 23
IV. MEDIA TOOLS 24
• Evacuation Press Release Template 25
• Flooding Press Release Template 26
• Wildfires Press Release Template 27
• Hot Weather Press Release Template 28
• Cold Weather Press Release Template 29
RESOURCES INCLUDED (on Web site)
• LLIS Fact Sheet
• Shelter Operations: Pet-Friendly Shelters
• Pet Sheltering: Building Community Response
• National Response Framework Fact Sheet
• Community Pet Preparedness Customizable PowerPoint
• Printer- Friendly - Modified - Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies Makes Sense
• Metro DC Council of Governments Companion Animal Evacuation and Sheltering Public
Information Materials
• Pet ‘N’ Preparedness, Fairfax County, VA

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Dear Partners in Preparedness,

FEMA’s Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps Program, the American Red Cross, and The
Humane Society of the United States, would like to thank you for the important work you are
doing in your communities. Our organizations have come together to develop this emergency
preparedness toolkit that can assist you in your planning efforts as you work towards keeping
your community, and specifically, the pets and people who care for them, safe from disasters.

This toolkit provides resources on how to keep current local pet disaster plans, policies and
procedures; examples of how to promote pet preparedness in your communities and engage other
organizations in your efforts; as well as resources to educate the community about how to
assemble a pet emergency supply kit and make a family emergency plan. In addition, there is a
tools section that provides sample preparedness brochures and public service announcements
(PSAs), PowerPoint templates and press materials you can use to develop and distribute your
internal and external preparedness messaging.

Preparing our families, homes and businesses for unexpected disasters is a civic virtue. Thank
you again for your commitment to making our communities safer for the pets we call family!

Sincerely,

FEMA’s Ready Campaign and Citizen Corps Program,

The American Red Cross,
And The Humane Society of the United States

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ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

On March 1, 2003, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) became part of the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The primary mission of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we
work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against,
respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. www.fema.gov

Ready Campaign
Launched in 2003, in partnership with The Advertising Council, Ready was designed to educate
and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies, including natural disasters
and potential terrorist attacks. It has proven to be one of the most successful campaigns in Ad
Council’s more than 65-year history. Since its launch, the campaign has generated more than
$703.2 million in donated media support. Ready is coordinated nationally by FEMA. Individuals
interested in more information about family, business and community preparedness can visit
www.ready.gov or call 1-800-BE-READY to receive free materials.

Citizen Corps
Citizen Corps was created in 2002 to bring community and government leaders together to make
our communities safer, stronger, and better prepared to respond to any emergency situation.
Citizen Corps provides opportunities for community members to participate in a range of
measures to make their families, their homes, and their communities safer from the threats of
crime, terrorism, and disasters of all kinds. Citizen Corps is coordinated nationally by the
FEMA. In this capacity, FEMA works closely with other federal entities, state and local
governments, first responders and emergency managers and the volunteer community.
www.citizencorps.gov

The Humane Society of the United States

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is the nation's largest animal protection
organization with eleven million members, supporters and constituents. The HSUS is a
mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, wildlife and habitat
protection, animals in research, and farm animals. Our mission is to celebrate animals and
confront cruelty. The HSUS protects all animals through legislation, litigation, investigation,
education, advocacy and field work. A non-profit organization, The HSUS will celebrate its 60th
anniversary in 2014, is based in Washington, D.C. and has state directors and regional
representatives across the country. www.humanesociety.org

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SECTION I. BE INFORMED

Pets are an integral part of American society and economy; more than half of households in the
United States include pets. During times of disaster, people will risk their lives and the lives of
others to save pets. For these reasons, it is critical that individuals have the “know how” to
properly prepare themselves and their animals for disasters to save both human and animal lives.

As a result of the 2005 Hurricane season and ever since, the importance of disaster preparedness
plans for animals reached national attention. The White House’s Federal Response to Hurricane
Katrina Lessons Learned Report, February 2006, recommended that federal, state and local
governments focus on planning for the evacuation and sheltering of animals. The concern over
disaster plans not adequately taking into consideration the pet population and the pet owner
population led Congress to enact the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS
Act) which was signed into law in October 2006. The Pets Act broadened FEMA’s
responsibility in the evacuation and sheltering of pets during disasters as well as making clear the
roles and responsibilities that local emergency management has in planning for families with
pets.

Equally important to government roles, individuals need to take personal responsibility for the
well being of their family and their community, including their pets. By having a plan, keeping
proper preparedness supplies on hand and knowing the community’s emergency operations plan
(EOP), individuals have the ability to protect themselves and their pets during an emergency
situation.

Educating citizens in your community on the importance of including pets in their individual and
family disaster plans and ensuring that your local emergency response plan includes pets can
make a life-saving difference for owners and their pets. To begin this effort, know your local
emergency plan, whether there is an animal component to the emergency plan, and take time to
research the Federal, State and local resources that are available to assist communities.

Review Local Emergency Plans

Even the smallest communities have an emergency operations plan which

describes how government and private organizations coordinate in a crisis.
Emergency managers, elected officials, police or fire departments officials
are usually in charge of such a plan. You should be able to request the local
emergency operations plan from your emergency management agency. It is
important to review and understand your local disaster plan. One
component of the emergency plan should describe how the community
would deal with an emergency involving animals or people with animals. If it
does not mention animals, you may be able to help in the development of
the animal component by offering your organization as a resource. It is
important to recognize that emergency managers have a great deal of responsibility, that they
are aware that it is critical to have a disaster plan for people with animals and that legislation

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requires them to include pets in the emergency plan. Be sure to approach emergency managers
with respect and a cooperative attitude and convey a desire to help them accomplish their goals.

Here are some ways in which you may be able to help:

• Identify your local Citizen Corps Council, Local Emergency Planning Committee
(LEPC), Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), and/or contact your
emergency manager to discuss how your organization could become involved
• Organize meetings with government agencies, animal organizations, businesses and
volunteers in your community to discuss how the community can support animal disaster
planning efforts and develop animal or pet disaster plans based on guidance from
emergency managers
• Participate in local and state-level disaster programs i.e., training and exercises
• Organize public education preparedness campaigns and activities

Partnerships with emergency managers are successful when:

• Trust is built between organizations through a record of cooperation and accomplishment
• Demonstrated commitment to focused objectives
• Collaboration on disaster preparedness activities
• Relationships are built on mutual respect, communication and inclusiveness

Identify Key Organizations and Leaders

Cooperation among interested individuals and groups is the key to success in

many situations, including animals in disasters. Leadership and trust among
people is a key to problem solving and resource identification. Prepare a
resource list of key organizations and leaders. Many of these identified
stakeholders meet on collaborative planning bodies, such as Citizen Corps
Councils, LEPCs, and/or VOAD. Work with these collaborative bodies to
establish pet and animal specific working groups. Some of the key leaders
and organizations to include are elected leaders, public safety departments
(e.g. police and fire administrators), public and private animal officials and
organizations (e.g. veterinary professionals, animal control and humane
shelters), transportation agencies and organizations, public and private
building owners or realtors, public works and private contractors, and legal,
health and medical organizations.

Research Previous Community Efforts

It is important to know if a similar effort in your community was started, but

did not succeed and why it failed. Alternately, success in one community
can be an example for success in a similar community. There are many
examples of creative leadership, appropriate policies and successful
community-based solutions to protect people and pets. One common failure
is when one community takes another community’s emergency plan and just

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changes the name of the community. It is important to adapt the plan to the
particular needs of your population and area. The process of planning can
be difficult when working with many organizations; however, the relationship
building that takes place during the process can be important to the success
of a plan during an actual crisis. Your local emergency management office,
police department or fire department may be able to provide this sort of
information. Another place to look for examples is the Lesson’s Learned
Information System (LLIS), www.llis.gov. A fact sheet with information on
LLIS and the resources they offer on pet preparedness is attached to this
document (download LLIS Animals in Disaster Fact Sheet).

Also, available on Ready

(http://www.ready.gov/america/toolkit_pets/index.html) are two helpful articles
taken from LLIS; “Shelter Operations: Pet-Friendly Shelters,” which outlines the essential issues
that jurisdictions should consider when developing plans to provide pet-friendly sheltering for
people before, during, or after an emergency that requires a large-scale evacuation. “Pet
Sheltering: Building Community Response,” which outlines the role of the local American Red
Cross. A best practices example of a local grassroots initiative, “Community Pets ‘N’
Preparedness, Fairfax County, VA,” is available as well.

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Federal, State and Local Resources

There are many resources available to you through the federal government
and through local and state agencies and organizations. Listed below are
some of these resources.

FEMA

Below is a list of some of the resources provided by the U.S. Department of

Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
These can be found online at www.fema.gov and through FEMA’s Publication Warehouse
(http://www.fema.gov/library/index.jsp )

Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS)

The "Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act (PETS) of 2006," amended the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that State and local
emergency preparedness operational plans address the needs of individuals with household pets
and service animals following a major disaster or emergency and broadened FEMA’s
responsibility in the evacuation and sheltering of pets during disasters.

National Response Framework http://www.fema.gov/emergency/nrf/

The National Response Framework is a guide that details how the Nation conducts all-hazards
response– from the smallest incident to the largest catastrophe. This document establishes a
comprehensive, national, all-hazards approach to domestic incident response. The Framework
identifies the key response principles, as well as the roles and structures that organize national
response. It describes how communities, States, the Federal Government and private-sector and
nongovernmental partners apply these principles for a coordinated, effective national response.
(See attached National Response Framework Fact Sheet)
The Emergency Management Institute http://training.fema.gov/: offers numerous courses that
directly support National efforts to train people at all levels on their role in the Framework.

• EMI’s Independent Study NRF related courses

• EMI's NRF related courses conducted by States
• NRF Resource Center

FEMA’s Comprehensive Planning Guide (CPG) 101

FEMA’s CPG 101 provides general guidelines on developing Emergency Operations Plans
(EOPs). It promotes a common understanding of the fundamentals of planning and decision
making to help emergency planners examine a hazard and produce integrated, coordinated, and
synchronized plans. This Guide helps emergency managers in State, Territorial, Local, and
Tribal governments in their efforts to develop and maintain a viable all-hazard EOP.
http://www.fema.gov/about/divisions/cpg.shtm

FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant Program

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 • Public Assistance Policy http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/policy.shtm
• Sheltering Activities http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/faq_403sheltering1.shtm
• PA Pet Evacuation and Sheltering Policy Eligible Costs Related to Pet Evacuations and
Sheltering: http://www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/9523_19.shtm

READY CAMPAIGN

Ready consulted with a number of organizations experienced in animal health and wellbeing to develop
preparedness information for pet owners. These organizations include American Kennel Club (AKC),
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA), and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).

Included in this Ready Campaign information is a brochure and instructional video that highlight the key
steps pet owners should take to prepare their families and their animals. The brochure and video
encourage pet owners to make an emergency supply kit including pet food and water, medications and
medical records, leashes, ID tags and other appropriate supplies. The communication pieces also
recommend pet owners have an emergency plan that considers their pets needs and learn more about the
types of emergencies that can happen in their area and the appropriate responses.

Pet owners can download the free brochure and instructional video from the Ready Web site
(www.ready.gov), or request a copy of the brochure by calling 1-800-BE-READY.

FEMA highlights public emergency preparedness through National Preparedness Month (NPM), a
nationwide effort held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for
emergencies in their homes, businesses and schools. Every year, national, regional, state and local
organizations participated in National Preparedness Month by distributing information, hosting events
and sponsoring activities across the country to promote emergency preparedness. Mark your calendar for
next year’s NPM!

CITIZEN CORPS

Citizen Corps is a grassroots initiative to actively involve all organizations and citizens in all
hazards emergency preparedness through planning, personal and community preparedness,
training, and volunteer service. Citizen Corps encourages citizens to embrace the personal
responsibility to be prepared; to get training in first aid and emergency skills; and to volunteer to
support local emergency responders, disaster relief, and community safety. Citizen Corps
answers the essential questions “What can I do?” and “How can I help?” in a meaningful way by
providing local opportunities for people of all abilities to prepare, train and volunteer for every
type of natural and man-made hazard.

Citizen Corps Councils

Citizen Corps provides a national strategy and program support for state and local program
implementation. Citizen Corps Councils bring community leaders from all sectors together with
emergency management and responders to support planning, outreach and education, and
programs that train organizations and citizens to support emergency response. The Councils
identify priorities and build on community strengths to develop action plans to involve the whole

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community. Additionally, Citizen Corps Councils focus on priorities and plans that include the
public; including emergency alerts and warnings, communication, shelter and evacuation, public
education, training, exercises, vulnerable populations, and Citizen Corps volunteer programs and
training to support plans. Since Citizen Corps was launched in 2002, over 2,400 State, local,
Tribal, and Territorial Citizen Corps Councils have been registered, encompassing 80 percent of
the nation’s population.

Citizen Corps Partnerships

Citizen Corps involves partnerships at all levels. Citizen Corps works with five national Program
Partners through partnerships with other Federal agencies and national organizations. The five
programs - Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), Medical Reserve Corps (MRC),
Fire Corps, USA on Watch/Neighborhood Watch, and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)—
provide national resources for training and exercising citizens at the State and local level.

Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program

CERT is a FEMA training program that prepares citizens to work as teams to safely assist their
families, neighbors, co-workers, or anyone who needs help in the event of a widespread
emergency when professional responders may not be able to reach everyone as soon as help is
needed. CERT educates people about disaster preparedness and trains them in basic disaster
response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, and disaster medical operations.

Fire Corps Program

Fire Corps promotes the use of citizen advocates to support fire and rescue departments. Fire
Corps assists fire and rescue departments in promoting citizen participation in areas such as fire
safety outreach, youth programs, and administrative support. Fire Corps is a partnership between
DHS, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the International Association of Fire Fighters, and the
International Association of Fire Chiefs.

USAonWatch/Neighborhood Watch (NW)

USAonWatch/Neighborhood Watch is a neighborhood watch program that provides information,
training, and resources to citizens and law enforcement agencies throughout the country.
Neighborhood Watch programs have expanded beyond their traditional crime prevention role to
help neighborhoods focus on disaster preparedness, emergency response, and terrorism
awareness. NW is administered by the National Sheriffs’ Association in partnership with the
Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice.

Medical Reserve Corps (MRC)

MRC helps medical, public health, and other volunteers offer their expertise throughout the year
as well as during emergencies and other times of community need. MRC volunteers work in
coordination with local emergency response programs and supplement community public health
initiatives, such as outreach and prevention, immunization programs, blood drives, and other
efforts. The MRC program is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services.

Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)

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VIPS works to enhance the capacity of State and local law enforcement to use volunteers. VIPS
provides resources and information for and about law enforcement volunteer programs. Funded
by the Department of Justice (DOJ), VIPS is managed and implemented by the International
Association of Chiefs of Police.

Citizen Corps Affiliate Programs and Organizations

Citizen Corps Affiliate Organizations offer communities resources for public education, outreach
and training; represent volunteers interested in helping to make their community safer; or offer
volunteer service opportunities to support first responders, disaster relief activities, and
community safety efforts. Citizen Corps currently works in partnership with 27 national
Affiliates to promote community preparedness. Affiliates include major non-profit organizations
and government agencies such as the American Red Cross, The American Legion, and the Home
Safety Council and the Departments of Education, Commerce, and the Environmental Protection
Agency.

Citizen Corps and Pet Preparedness Planning, Education and Outreach

As stated in the PETS Act, every state and county emergency operation plan (EOP) should take
into account the needs of individuals with household pets prior to, during, and following a major
disaster or emergency. With more than 2,400 State, local, Tribal and Territorial Citizen Corps
Councils through out the country, Citizen Corps provides a forum for local humane
organizations, animal control agencies, and other animal related entities to collaborate with
emergency management and the larger community to assure considerations for pets are included
in the EOP. Citizen Corps Councils serve as a mechanism to assist in planning for pet
evacuations, pet shelters, and dispersal of relevant information regarding preparation and safety
precautions for pets during times of disaster.

Citizen Corps Councils and Citizen Corps partners’ actively support public education on pet
disaster preparedness. Community outreach efforts include distributing materials; participation
in preparedness fairs, local pet preparedness demonstrations and exercises. Citizen Corps
Councils nationwide function as a key component to promoting pet preparation to the public.

Citizen Corps Trained Volunteers

The five Citizen Corps Program Partners: Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT),
Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), USAonWatch/Neighborhood Watch, Fire Corps and Volunteers
in Police Service (VIPS) each serve an important role in pet response to and recovery from
disasters. Specifically, CERT Teams and MRC Units have been involved in pet disaster
planning, training, and response efforts.

Many of the over 3,000 local CERT Programs across the country are beginning to include
training on pet and animal issues in emergency preparedness and response. Additionally, CERT
Programs at the State and local level have implemented pet shelter programs that engage Team
members in caring for a large variety of animals during times of disaster. The National CERT
Program Office is developing standard supplemental CERT training focused on pets and
companion animals. Finally, many State and local State Animal Response Teams (SART) have
institutionalized CERT training as a pre-requisite for participation on the animal response team.

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Medical Reserve Corps strongly encourages veterinarians, veterinary technicians and others
involved with animal medical or public health issues to become involved with their local MRC
Unit. Currently, over 1000 veterinarians participate on MRC Units, with over 200 MRC Units
having at least one veterinarian. MRC Unit veterinarians and vet techs serve as consultants on
public health issues related to animals; assist in implementation of the PETS Act through shelter
and evacuation planning; provide protective information about pet, livestock, and wildlife
interaction; support animal evacuations sheltering; provide general veterinary care and animal
triage; and to promote disaster preparedness to pet owners. Some MRC Units are made up
entirely of veterinarians and vet techs. MRC strongly advocates the importance of involving
veterinarians, techs and assistants in disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Citizen Corps and Program Partner Websites

• Citizen Corps: www.citizencorps.gov

• Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT):
http://www.citizencorps.gov/cert/index.shtm
• Fire Corps: http://www.firecorps.org/
• Medical Reserve Corps: http://www.medicalreservecorps.gov/HomePage
• Volunteers in Police Service: http://www.policevolunteers.org/
• USA on Watch/Neighborhood Watch: http://www.usaonwatch.org/

AMERICAN RED CROSS

The American Red Cross understands the importance of pets to their families. We are working
with public and private organizations, as well as individuals dedicated to animal care in local
communities, to assist concerned pet owners during disasters. Local Red Cross chapters are
ready to coordinate with local officials and animal care organizations on how to best approach
disaster preparedness for pets.

Areas of collaboration may include: developing coordinated response plans, sharing information
during disasters, providing referral information to disaster clients, coordinating human and pet
sheltering plans and efforts, and collaborating on pet preparedness programs. While the
capabilities of Red Cross chapters can vary, all chapters are focused on how to meet community
needs during disasters. Organizations can reach out to their local chapter by going to
www.redcross.org to get contact information. In addition, the Red Cross is pleased to provide
pet preparedness information at www.redcross.org and at www.prepare.org.

HSUS EMERGENCY ANIMAL RESPONSE TEAM (NDART)

The Emergency Animal Rescue Team of The Humane Society of the United States consists of
animal care and control professionals, emergency services and rescue professionals, and other
qualified staff, supplemented by trained and experienced volunteers. Team members are trained
in community disaster response and preparedness as well as specialized response techniques for
rescuing animals affected by natural and human-caused disasters.

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If you have skills and experience in animal handling, emergency/public services, or other
disaster work and are interested in joining our NDART, please explore the self-study courses
listed in the FEMA section above. Once you have taken several of these courses, particularly the
FEMA Independent Study Programs, please visit the HSUS Animal Disaster Response
Training Calendar to see when and where you can take HSUS disaster courses. These courses –
including a three-day course on Disaster Animal Response Team training; a two-day Emergency
Animal Sheltering course; and a two-day Animal First Aid Disaster Responders – are given
around the country all year.

To obtain more information about criteria and to apply to become a member of the HSUS
Emergency Animal Rescue Team, please fill out the application at www.ndart.org.

In addition to participating in animal rescue operations, some NDART volunteers also use their
experience and expertise in teaching our courses as VIPs (Volunteer Instructor Program)
participants.

Thank you for your support, and please make sure you have a disaster plan for your own
family, including your pets!

VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVE IN DISASTER (VOAD)

Many community-based disaster organizations as well as Government agencies are members of

State or Regional VOADs, which are linked to National VOAD (WWW.NVOAD.Org). VOADs
meet monthly or quarterly to coordinate disaster preparedness activities, emergency management
training and response plans. Every VOAD should include animal organizations interested in
disaster coordination, collaboration and communication. Any animal organization can
participate and will increase opportunities to include pets and people with pets in local
emergency planning. Often, the media first recognizes VOAD members, when publicizing
where the public should donate to support disaster victims.

STATE ANIMAL RESPONSE TEAM (SART)/ COUNTY ANIMAL RESPONSE TEAM

(CART)

SART is a public private partnership, joining government agencies with the private concerns
around the common goal of animal issues during disasters. SART programs train participants to
facilitate a safe and efficient response to animal emergencies on the local, county, state and
federal level. The teams are organized under the sponsorship of state and local emergency
management and utilize the principles of the Incident Command System (ICS).

AMERICAN VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (AVMA)

The AVMA maintains an Animal Health web page which provides a Disaster Preparedness
section that includes information on animal disaster plans and resources by state. www.avma.org

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SECTION II: PROMOTING PET PREPAREDNESS IN YOUR COMMUNITY

There is much you can do to effectively promote pet preparedness in your community. Provided
below are some suggestions on ways to engage your community and leverage the media to
promote your message.

Engaging Your Community

There are several different organizations and initiatives that can help you educate your
community. Think about the various populations you want to reach and the best ways to reach
them. Here is a list of event and initiative ideas to inspire you.

• Work with Your Local Pet Store, Veterinarian Practice or Shelter to

distribute emergency preparedness information to pet owners.

• Include Preparedness Activities at Pet Friendly Community Events: Include

pet preparedness information at existing community events that allow pets by
providing a table with Ready brochures, lists of pet friendly shelters and hotels.
Have a photographer on hand to take Polaroid pictures of pet owners with their
pets to place in their emergency supply kit. Download the Family Emergency
Plans and the Emergency Supply Kit Checklist templates and distribute them.
Invite Rex, the Ready Kids mascot, to your events!

• Host a National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day in May: The second

Saturday of May is National Animal Disaster Preparedness Day. Host a
preparedness event in conjunction with local pet events or pet walks, and
distribute the Ready “Preparing your Pets for Emergencies Makes Sense”
brochure. This event could bring together animal lovers in the community and
help them to develop emergency plans that take into consideration the special
needs of their animals and plan what to do in case of an evacuation. The Humane
Society of the United States, American Kennel Club, American Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and the American Veterinary
Medical Association have worked with the DHS on the Ready Campaign and
their local organizations or members may be interested in participating.

• Participate in National Preparedness Month (NPM): FEMA hosts NPM every

September. This is a month dedicated to promoting emergency preparedness. Go
to the Ready Campaign at www.ready.gov to learn more about how to participate.
Host a pet preparedness event and post it on the NPM calendar.

• Reach Out to Your Local Citizen Corps Council to coordinate education and
public outreach, participate in training and exercises, and involve Citizen Corps
Programs such as CERT or MRC in pet and animal preparedness and response.
In addition, Citizen Corps Councils can assist in developing programs which
involve volunteers in animal response teams.

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• Humane Society University is the educational arm of The Humane Society of
the United States. To find and register for HSU workshops or online courses,
visit humanesociety.org/university and click on “Course Search.” HSU offers
courses in many areas, to include an undergraduate major in Humane Leadership,
a graduate degree in Community Leadership, and online courses in five subject
tracks:
o Advocacy
o Animal Care giving and Behavior
o Humane Education
o Humane Leadership and Shelter Management
o Law Enforcement

• Host a Disaster Animal Response Team (DART) or Emergency Animal

Sheltering (EAS) workshop in your community. Can’t find a workshop near
you? Consider serving as a co-sponsor and bring a workshop to your area. To
find out what is required, please visit humanesociety.org/university and click on
“On-site workshops.” In addition to DART and EAS, HSU offers many other on-
site workshops:
o Animal Cruelty for Non-Investigators
o Animal Sheltering Operations Boot Camp
o Coping with Compassion Fatigue
o Communities & Colonies: Communitywide TNR Programs
o TNR and Feral Cat Caretaker Workshop
o Dealing with Difficult People
o First Strike: Human/Animal Cruelty
o Illegal Animal Fighting Investigations
o Wild Neighbors: Humane Solutions to Wildlife Conflicts
• In addition to the above mentioned organizations there are many other cities, local
and non-profit organizations that might be willing to help spread the pet
preparedness message by allowing you to pass out brochures at conventions, place
them in their offices or speak during routine meetings. Here is a short list of
organizations and events that will hopefully inspire you to think of many others.

o Local Cooperative Extension Offices

o Women’s Conferences
o County Farm Bureaus
o Medical Societies
o Veterinary Technician Schools
o Libraries
o Kiwanis Clubs
o Local Business Organizations / Clubs
o Dog Day Care / Kennels
o University Animal Science Departments and Student Services
Centers

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 • Do your best to reach out to vulnerable or overlooked populations within your
community. This may include seniors, economically disadvantaged citizens, those
for whom English is a second language, or others.

• Utilize social networking sites to share information on trainings, events, etc. Include
preparedness information for animals on postings on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc.

Engaging the Media

Your local media can play an integral role in helping you generate awareness about your pet
preparedness initiatives. Getting a newspaper reporter or a local television and/or radio
personality talking about your event or the issue of pet preparedness can be very effective
because they reach a large number of residents in your area.

We suggest you do your homework to find out if there are local journalists who have reported on
emergency preparedness in the past or if there are any individuals who are particularly passionate
about animals. For example, a local deejay might talk frequently about his pets during his
morning show, or there might be a reporter who writes a pet column in your local newspaper.
These are the individuals that will most likely rally behind your cause and help spread your
message.

If your market has a local television morning show, book an interview through the producer to
share the three steps for pet preparedness with their viewers: 1) Prepare: Get a pet emergency kit;
2) Plan: What will you do in an emergency? 3) Stay Informed: Know about types of
emergencies. You could demonstrate how to build a kit and include some of the recommended
items; provide a sample pet preparedness plan; and provide tips on how local residents can stay
informed about the different types of emergencies that could happen in your community. You
can also try to book an interview with a local radio station during morning or afternoon drive
times, or with a local pet or family features reporter.

If you are planning an event and want to utilize your local media to help drive traffic, we
recommend that you give enough lead time for the media to promote the event. Here are our
recommendations:

• Calendar Submissions (print or online): Three weeks

• Print: One-two weeks
• Television or radio: One week

If you want the media to attend your event, we recommend the following lead time:

• Print: One week

• Television or radio: two-three days

We recommend you continue to cultivate relationships with your local media because you never
know when they can help you promote a pet preparedness event. Or they might start looking to
you and your organization as a “go-to” resource if an emergency strikes your community and

16
they need to provide tips or advice to the community. To help you get started, we have included
press release and media event alert templates, as well as tips on how to conduct a good interview
in the tools section of this document.

SECTION III. TOOLS

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to provide in e-mails, newsletters, and articles.

Why is pet preparedness important?

Disaster can strike anywhere and at any time. House fires, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes,
wildfires, earthquakes, hazardous material spills and acts of terrorism may all force you and your
family from your home – temporarily or maybe permanently. Responding to and recovering
from such events requires advanced planning. All members of your family must be taken into
account in these plans, including pets. Knowing what supplies to have available, how to
evacuate with your pet, where your pet will stay, and how you will meet your pet’s needs
throughout the disaster are all critical questions that must be addressed.

Is this a community-wide concern?

Definitely. Most communities have a significant number of families with pets. Not only is the
welfare of the pets important, the lack of planning for pet issues during disaster can have a direct
effect on the safety of the human population. Pets are integral members of many families, and a
community’s lack of planning for pet issues may cause families to delay evacuation or avoid
seeking assistance until they are sure their pet’s needs are met. Additionally, first responders
may be put at risk when confronted by frightened or displaced animals left behind. If the disaster
has caused an intermingling of wild and domesticated animals, diseases like rabies could become
a serious threat to humans and animals.

Most communities have many vital and experienced components to disaster response – local
government and first responders, the American Red Cross and Salvation Army, other non-
profits, the faith community, etc. Most communities also have organizations focused on meeting
the needs of pets and other animals – local government animal care and control, the Humane
Society of the United States, the ASPCA, other animal welfare and rescue organizations,
veterinarians, and local businesses. In order to respond effectively and efficiently to the needs of
pets and their families, communities should begin discussions and bring these parties together to
create well-coordinated response plans.

What does a community need to be aware of?

After Katrina, the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) act was passed. This law
requires local jurisdiction to include pet evacuation and housing as part of their disaster response
plans. As stated above, all of those involved in disaster preparedness and response must be
involved in this planning to ensure these efforts are effective.

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Why do pets require special attention in planning efforts?

Most community disaster response plans, at least prior to the 2005 hurricane season, were
focused on life safety, asset protection and recovery activities as they related to humans. In
addition, a majority of families in this country have not (or do not have the resource to) taken the
necessary steps to prepare their families – received training, developed a family plan and
prepared a family disaster kit. These two factors together require some extra attention and effort
to instill a sense of urgency in the minds of local government, local organizations and families to
prepare adequately for disaster. Most importantly, as noted above, people consider their pets
part of their family. If efforts are not made to plan for the needs of families with animals, the
people will be at risk. Time after time, even after Hurricane Katrina, emergency managers have
learned that without a plan for animals, their community is at increased risk during and after
disasters.

Is disaster response different for pets?

It can be, yes. Evacuating pets may be more difficult if you cannot evacuate in your own
vehicle. Pet owners must understand their community’s evacuation plans and must ensure that
they are prepared for any variations and restrictions. Most evacuation shelters do not allow pets
(service animals are an exception) due to public health, safety or other concerns raised by the
need to provide service to a large number and wide range of people. Most jurisdictions, Red
Cross chapters and other shelter operators are working hard to ensure pet sheltering facilities are
close or co-located with the human shelters, but families need to have knowledge of and be
prepared for they type of accommodations available in their community. Red Cross chapters
will not designate or operate pet shelters, but are willing to provide support to the process.

Who should be working on pet preparedness in our community?

Many organizations have an interest in and focus on pet preparedness. The following are a few
examples:
• Local government –local first responders, emergency management, elected officials and
the animal care and control agencies are all critical components of disaster response
planning – including pet planning
• Local collaborative groups – Citizen Corps Councils, LEPCs, VOADs, and other
collaborative groups are excellent venues for sharing information, coordinating efforts
and developing strategies for community outreach.
• American Red Cross chapters – local Red Cross chapters dedicate time to planning for
feeding, sheltering and bulk distribution of supplies. The chapters will help to coordinate
their human sheltering activities with pet sheltering activities of other organizations
• Local animal service organizations – organizations in the community providing services
to animals on a daily basis are very important to disaster planning. These organizations
are often the most familiar with the animal related needs and resources of the community.
Included are animal shelters; humane and rescue groups; veterinary professionals and
facilities; boarding facilities; 4H clubs; breed clubs and rescues; agricultural extension
services; pet care services; and many more.

18
 • Community-based animal facilities including vet and agriculture schools; research
facilities; racetracks and others should be active participants in the planning for animals
in disasters.
• Local components of national organizations – The Humane Society of the United States,
ASPCA, United Animal Nations, etc – these organizations have access to a wealth of
knowledge and resources that can help a community properly plan for the needs of the
pet community.
• Organizations providing mass care services – other voluntary organizations, including
many institutions of faith, are also involved in feeding and sheltering activities.
• 211 and other community information resources can be very helpful in coordinating
needs with available resources for families with animals.

How do we bring the community together?

Creating a culture of pet preparedness in a community takes dedication and effort on the part of
all organizations involved. The following are just a few ideas on how to get the community
involved:
• Discussions at collaborative groups (as mentioned above)
• Presentations and exhibitions at community forums – fairs, preparedness events, pet
events, faith-based events, etc.
• Public service announcements
• Work with organizations to provide pet preparedness training courses
• Work with organizations to provide pet CPR/First Aid courses
• Encourage local, county and state politicians to hold forums to better inform planning
efforts

POWERPOINT

Conduct training classes or give presentations that provide guidance on pet

preparedness with the customizable PowerPoint that is included in this
toolkit.

Ready BROCHURES

The Ready Campaign partnered with American Kennel Club, American

Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, American Veterinary
Medical Association and The Humane Society of the United States to
produce Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies Makes Sense tri-fold
brochure. This brochure can be ordered in bulk (limit 500) for free by
calling 1-800-480-2520 or by faxing the attached order form to the
FEMA warehouse.

Brochure source files are available upon request by emailing

ready@dhs.gov. Having the source files will allow for printing of
quantities more than 500 (at your own expense) as well the opportunity
to add local contact information to the back cover. There is also a

19
printer friendly two-page (front and back) modified version of the pets brochure attached to
this document that are cost-effective for events with mass attendance and e-mailing.

*In addition to the pet preparedness brochure, the Ready Campaign has a variety of other
topical brochures. Go to www.ready.gov to view other Ready brochures.

20
21
INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

The Ready Campaign has a free instructional video for pet owners available for download at
www.ready.gov. Also available are instructional videos for families, individuals with
disabilities and other special needs, and older Americans. These videos outline the three simple
steps Americans should take to prepare for emergencies: get an emergency supply kit, make a
family emergency plan and be informed about the types of emergencies that can happen in their
area.

PHOTOGRAPHY

Photos and visuals are always an effective means of communication and can be used in your
presentations, flyers, and Web site. A simple search for ‘stock’ photos on the Web will provide
you with a list of various options. Many stock photos must be purchased for use but if you look
hard you can find photos that are free to use according to requested guidelines. For your
convenience, here is a Web address where free photos are provided by FEMA:
http://www.fema.gov/kids/p_pets.htm. Please take a moment to review FEMA’s conditions for
use of these photos at http://www.fema.gov/help/usage.shtm

22
 “Rex” the Ready Kids
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Brought to you by the U.S. Department of
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Important: All reservations must be made two weeks in advance through your state or local
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taken on a first come first serve basis. (Approximately six uses per month available.) A
confirmation E-mail will be sent upon receipt of the request to inform you of the availability.
This contract must be filled out with all the correct information. Rental fee is $150.00 plus
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Date Needed: _____________________ Date Returning: _________________________

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City: _____________________ State: __________ Zip: __________
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three days upon receipt. (i.e. Friday – Monday) or I will be charged for $50 per day.
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including maintenance, repacking and return of the costume.
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www.mascotsandcostumes.com E-mail Address: contract.service@mascotsandcostumes.com

23
SECTION IV. MEDIA TOOLS

Provided in the following pages are templates that can be used to inform and engage your local
media. You will find an evacuation press release template, a press release template for flooding,
wildfires and severe (hot and cold) weather and an event media advisory template.

Also, additional media tools are attached to this document provided by the Metropolitan
Washington Council of Governments. See document titled “Companion Animal Evacuation and
Sheltering Public Information Materials.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION:

24
[DATE] [NAMES AND NUMBERS]

[AREA AFFECTED] Residents Urged to Take Pets with Them as

[DISASTER] Prompts Evacuations

[CITY, State] — Intro Paragraph explaining disaster situation, which areas are at risk and
urging those people to take their pets with them in case of evacuation.

Quote from local official or shelter director urging residents to plan ahead for their pets in an
emergency, providing specific local information, etc.

Standard emergency preparedness language:

All pet owners are urged to keep a pet emergency supply kit, which should include the
following:
• Three-or-more-day supply of food in airtight, water proof container and drinking water.
• Bowls for food and water.
• Current photos and physical description of your pets, including details on markings.
• Medications, vaccination records (especially rabies records) and first aid pet supplies.
• Comfort items such as a toy and blanket.
• Small garbage bags.
• For dogs —include a leash, harness and a sturdy carrier large enough to use as a sleeping
area.
• For cats include a litter box and litter as well as a sturdy carrier large enough for
transport.

If officials call for an evacuation, pet owners should be aware that many evacuation shelters do
not accept pets, and they must plan their destination in advance. Many hotels, motels, campsites
and other facilities around the country now allow pets. Check out AAA or
www.petswelcome.com to find a list of those in your area. Hotels and motels may be willing to
lift "no pet" restriction in an emergency. Friends and family members living outside the area may
be able to provide shelter too. (Please check with your local animal shelter or emergency
management office to determine if a pet-friendly emergency shelter will be set up in your
location.)

More than 358 million pets reside in 63 percent of American households. A Zogby International
poll found that 61 percent of pet owners will not evacuate if they cannot bring their pets with
them.

For more tips on preparedness plans that include your pets, visit
http://www.hsus.org/hsus_field/hsus_disaster_center/resources/disaster_preparedness_for_pets.h
tml or www.ready.gov.

[DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANIZATION, MISSION STATEMENT, WEB SITE, ETC.]

25
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
[DATE] [NAMES AND NUMBERS]

[YOUR ORGANIZATION] URGES FLOOD PREPARATION FOR PETS

[YOUR ORGANIZATION] offers the following evacuation tips for pet owners in the event
of a flood:
• Do not leave your pets behind.
• As rescue officials may not allow you to take your pets if you need to be rescued, do not wait
until the last minute to evacuate.
• Securely fasten a current identification tag to your pet’s collar. It’s a good idea to include a phone
number of a friend or family member so someone who finds your pet will be able to reach
someone who knows you.
• Carry a photo of you and your pet for identification purposes.
• Transport pets in secure pet carriers and keep pets on leashes or harnesses.
• Because most emergency shelters do not admit pets, call hotels in a safe location and ask if you
can bring your pets. Ask the manager if a no-pet policy can be lifted during the disaster.
• If you and your pets cannot stay together, call friends, family members, veterinarians or boarding
kennels in a safe area to arrange foster care.
• Be sure to pack your pet’s emergency supply kit filled with at least a three-day supply of food,
water and other supplies, such as medical records, owner’s documentation, cat litter and other
necessary sanitary items and medication.
• Keep a list of emergency phone numbers (veterinarian, local animal control, animal shelters, Red
Cross, etc.).

[DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANIZATION, MISSION STATEMENT, WEB SITE, ETC.]

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
[DATE] [NAMES AND NUMBERS]

[YOUR ORGANIZATION] URGES WILDFIRE PREPARATION FOR

PETS

Describe what your organization is doing in this situation ___________

For animal owners in the possible path of the wildfires, ________ offers the following tips for ensuring
the well being of your companion animals.

• Do not leave your pets behind.

• As rescue officials may not allow you to take your pets if you need to be rescued, do not wait
until the last minute to evacuate.
• Securely fasten a current identification tag to your pet’s collar. It’s a good idea to include a phone
number of a friend or family member so someone who finds your pet will be able to reach
someone who knows you.
• Carry a photo of you and your pet for identification purposes.
• Transport pets in secure pet carriers and keep pets on leashes or harnesses.
• Because most emergency shelters do not admit pets, call hotels in a safe location and ask if you
can bring your pets. Ask the manager if a no-pet policy can be lifted during the disaster.
• If you and your pets cannot stay together, call friends, family members, veterinarians or boarding
kennels in a safe area to arrange foster care.
• Be sure to pack your pet’s emergency supply kit filled with at least a three-day supply of food,
water and other supplies, such as medical records, owner’s documentation, cat litter and other
necessary sanitary items and medication.
• Keep a list of emergency phone numbers (veterinarian, local animal control, animal shelters, Red
Cross, etc.).

[DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANIZATION, MISSION STATEMENT, WEB SITE, ETC.]

27
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
[DATE] [NAMES AND NUMBERS]

[YOUR ORGANIZATION] REMINDS RESIDENTS ABOUT CARING FOR

YOUR PETS IN HOT WEATHER

As the summer heat approaches, here are some preparedness tips to consider when caring for
your pets:
1 • Never leave pets in a car, even with the windows down. The inside of a car can reach
temperatures in excess of 150 degrees in a matter of minutes.
2 • If possible, pets should be kept indoors during excessive heat.
3 • If keeping a pet outside, make sure that pets have adequate shelter from the sun and
plenty of fresh water at all times.
4 • Plan outside activities with your pets during the cooler parts of the day: early morning
and evening. Limit the outside activity of your pets during the heat of the day.
5 • During hot weather, sidewalks and pavement radiate excessive amounts of heat and can
be too hot for the pads of your pet's paws. Consider that if the sidewalk is too hot for you
to walk barefoot, it is too hot for your pet to walk on.
6 • Allow access to the coolest part of your home. If you don’t have air
conditioning, or you turn it off while at work, make sure your pet can get to a cool
place, such as a basement.
7 • Take extra precautions in hot weather for dogs that are elderly, overweight or snub-
nosed.
8 • Always have a disaster plan in place for you, your family and your pets.
9

Additional pet safety information can be accessed through [insert local info here]

[DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANIZATION, MISSION STATEMENT, WEB SITE, ETC.]

28
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
[DATE] [NAMES AND NUMBERS]

[YOUR ORGANIZATION] REMINDS RESIDENTS ABOUT CARING FOR

YOUR PETS IN COLD WEATHER

In many areas, winter is a season of bitter cold and numbing wetness. Help your pets remain
happy and healthy during the colder months by following these simple guidelines.

• Don't leave dogs outdoors when the temperature drops. Most dogs, and all cats, are safer
indoors, except when taken out for exercise. Regardless of the season, shorthaired, very
young, or old dogs and all cats should never be left outside without supervision. Short-
coated dogs may feel more comfortable wearing a sweater during walks.
• No matter what the temperature, wind-chill can threaten a pet's life. A dog or cat is
happiest and healthiest when kept indoors. If your dog is an outdoor dog, however, he/she
must be protected by a dry, draft-free doghouse that is large enough to allow the dog to
sit and lie down comfortably, but small enough to hold in his/her body heat. The floor
should be raised a few inches off the ground and covered with cedar shavings or straw.
The house should be turned to face away from the wind, and the doorway should be
covered with waterproof burlap or heavy plastic.
• Pets that spend a lot of time outdoors need more food in the winter because keeping
warm depletes energy. Routinely check your pet's water dish to make certain the water is
fresh and unfrozen. Use plastic food and water bowls rather than metal; when the
temperature is low, your pet's tongue can stick and freeze to metal.
• Warm engines in parked cars attract cats and small wildlife, which may crawl up under
the hood. To avoid injuring any hidden animals, bang on your car's hood to scare them
away before starting your engine.
• The salt and other chemicals used to melt snow and ice can irritate the pads of your pet's
feet. Wipe the feet with a damp towel before your pet licks them and irritates his/her
mouth.
• Antifreeze is a deadly poison, but it has a sweet taste that may attract animals and
children. Wipe up spills and store antifreeze (and all household chemicals) out of reach.
Better yet, use antifreeze-coolant made with propylene glycol; if swallowed in small
amounts, it will not hurt pets, wildlife, or your family.
• Always have a winter disaster plan in place for you, your family and your pets.

Additional pet safety information can be accessed through [insert local info here]

[DESCRIBE YOUR ORGANIZATION, MISSION STATEMENT, WEB SITE, ETC.]

29